Receptacle



pril 23, 1929. H. ToPPlN ET AL RECEPTACLE Filed April 29, 1.925

VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

1,710,389V NITEDSTATES PA"T`IE1I` VI` OFFICE;

HENRY 'TOPPIN' ANI) ARTHUR G. STEVENSON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, AS-

SIGNORS TO THE F. A. SMITH MANUFACTURING CO. INC., OF ROCHESTER, NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

REoErTA-CLE.

Application. filed April 29, 1925. Serial No. 26,796.

This invention relates to receptacles and, more particularly, to thevariety adapted for holding smokers articles, such as cigarettes and thelike, one object of the invention being to provide an improvedreceptacle for dispensing cigarettes of a more convenient and practicalform of construction and one especially suitable for attachment'to thedash or other part of an automobile. Another object is the provision ofsuch a receptacle capable of holding a relatively large number ofcigarettes of the same kind, or of different kinds separately, andcombined in a compact and complete smokers kit, comprising also, forinstance, receptacles for holding matchesand receiving ashes accessiblyarranged to facilitate use thereof by anA automobile driver, forexample, with one handV and with the least distraction of the attentionfrom the operation of the vehicle.

To these and other ends the inventionV re sides in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all will be hereinafter more fully described,the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of thespecification. i

In'the drawings i Figure lis a front elevation of receptacle meansembodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same as viewed from ythe left inFigure 1;

. Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the same;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line ta-4a in Figure 1; l

Figure 5 is an enlargedsectional view on the line in LL in FigureB,illustrating a de* tail of construction; l n

Figure 6 is a sectional plan View on the line (5a-6a in Figure 3,illustrating the Aejection of a cigarette, andV y f Figure lis aperspective view of an ejecting slide detached. i

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

The embodiment of the invention lherein disclosed, by way ofillustration, is intended more especially for holding and dispensingcigarettes, but theinventionis of course applicable for use alsowithcigars and like articles. The receptacle is preferably constructed .ofsheet metal in the substantially rectangular and upright shape shown,coniprising a front wall 10, rear wall 11, end Walls 12 and 13,respectively, and abottom 14:. The

front and end walls are preferably formed from a single blank and therear wall and bottom from another, the end walls carrying lugs 12apassed through eyes in the rear wall and clinched as shown in Figure 5.rlhe receptacle has an open top serving as a filling opening, closed bya cover 15 hinged at the rear Aas at 1G. A partition 17 divides thereceptacle into separate compartments 18 and 19, each of which isadapted to hold an upwardly extending row or column of cigarettes laidhorizontally one upon another as shown, with the lowerm-ost one in eachcompartment resting on the bottom let. The compartments may be quicklyfilled by raising the cover 175 anddropping the cigarettesinto them andthe provision of a plurality of compartments arranged as shown a'ords arelatively large capacity for k'the receptacle. Ifl desired, differentkinds of cigarettes may be placed and held separately in therespectivecompart ments.

The receptacle is formed with a dispensing opening preferably arrangedadjacent the bottoni of the end wall 13.V In the present instance thewall is formed at this point with an opening covered by a plate'21riveted or otherwise secured thereto and having its central portion spunoutwardly as at 22 and formed with the dispensing opening proper, 23.This opening has its center located oppo site the partition 17, which iscut away adjacent the opening as at 2li, Figure 3, and the inclinedlplate portions 22 serve to guide a cigaretteprojected longitudinally`from the bottom' of either compartment into the dispensing opening 23which is thus common to yboth compartments, as shown in Figure 6.

But one cigarette of course can enter the opening at a time.

The devices for e'ectinsr the cigarettes comprise guide means preferablydisposed below the bottom 14 of the receptacle and in thefpresentinstance in the form-of rectangular ars 25 fixed at their endsin the end walls 12 and 1S. Sliding on each .of these bars is a slide orplate 26 having upturned ends 27 and 28 containing. rectangularjopenings through which the guide bars 25 yare inserted. Theend 28 ofeach slide has a iinger 29 extending upwardly through a slot 30 in thebottom of each compartment adj acent the end 12 of 'the receptacle, theupper end of the linger being enlarged as shown for y compartment.

substantial engagement with the end of the lowermost cigarette torpushing the 'same longitudinally into thedischarge openings End l2 ofthe receptacle is bonfedioutwardly at its bottom as at 3l to provide arecess 1n the wall in which ejectin g lingers 29 normally lie, theejecting slides being urged towards this end ot' the receptacle bysprings 32 coiled about bars 25 between the slides and the opposite endwall. Slides 2G carry manually operable means in the form of downwardlyextending posts or handles 33 'for operation by a linger to eject thecigarette. It is to be noted vthat the operating means 33 ot' thei'iorward slide 26 is located at the end of the slide adjacent the endwall of the receptacle while the corresponding means or handle of therear slide is located at the opposite end et the latter and thus spacedinwardly et the receptacle from the handle ot the forward slide.

With this arrangement, as a linger is swept across the bottom oi thereceptacle from right to lett, the right hand or i'orward handle 83 isengaged and moved toward the le'lit so that the lowermost cigarette ofthe corresponding 'forward compartment is moved te eject its end `tor asubstantial distance through the dispensing opening 23, as shown inFigure t3, Should the other or rear handle be inadvertently engaged, itcannot however eject a cigarette because oi the prior operation of theother post and the closing ot the opening bythe cigarette it'rom theJiforward ln the normal operation ot the receptacle, therefore,cigarettes are ejected from' the forward compartment until the latterbecomes empty after whichv the linger is moved across the bottom ot thereceptacle until it engages and operates the left or rear handle also,which results in the ejection of a cigarette 'from the rear compartment.It desired however different kinds of cigarettes may be placed in thecompartments and the normal method roit operation de scribed abovevaried by selecting for operation individually the handle 33corresponding to the desired variety.

Means are provided lor attaching the receptacle in fixed position on asupport such, for example, as the dash or window panel of a vehicle, theattaching means being preterably of such a variety as to adapt the sametor application to either a horizontally or vertically extendingsupport. To this end the rear wall ot the receptacle is termed withrearwardly struck strips 84e and S5 aligned in horizont-al and verticalpairs, respectively, as shown in Figure 3. An elongated plate 36 isadapted to be inserted endwise through either pair of strips 34 or 35,the plate being oi such length as to project at its ends beyond thereceptacle and being provided with openings 37 for screws for attachingthe same to a support. Plate 36 is shown in the present instance asapplied to the receptacle through strips Bil in horizontal positionbut'it may obviously be withdrawn from such position and engaged underthe strips Baink vertical position uset'ul tor example` in securing'thereceptacleto a vertical window` panel.v

The receptacle constructed as described is preferably combined in acomplete and compact smokers kit comprising also match holding and 'ashreceiving receptacles. For this purpose the :trent wall l() ispreferably arranged to ali'ord a plane surface and has secured theretoat its opposite ends, theends 38 ott a plate 39 having the generallychannel shape best shown in Figure 6. rlhe lower edges ofthe plate areturned inwardly to provide horizontal supporting i'ianges l0 and tue'forward sides olf the plate has an inturned central vertical rib l1formed therein to separate the space enclosed between the plate and theiront ot the receptacle into two compartments. One of these is adaptedto receive an ordinary sa'lety match box which may be disposed thereinwith the end of the box removed in the usual manner to expose thematches l'or withdrawal and the plate 39 may be cut away at the end ofthis compartinent at 39, Figure 4t, to expose the portion ot the boxprovided for striking the match.

The other compartment in plate 39 is preli-` erably provided with anopen topped meta-l box l2 serving as an ash receiver, detachably carriedin its compartment ttor removal and emptying as required. The front wall10 preferably has spring lingers l0a struck therefrom as shown toyieldably retain the match box and ash receiver in place.

rllhe invention thus previees'a compact receptacle for a considerablenumber oicigan rettes and the same or di'lierent kinds, being j readilylilled by raising the cover 15. A single sweepv oi the linger trom righttofleft across the bottom of the receptacle serves toV partially eject acigarette through .the opening at the left of the receptacle, thehandles 33 being arranged to etlect operation thereof successively toeject the cigarettes one at a time, irst from the forward compartmentand then from the rear until bothare empty. In case dilterent varietiesof cigarettes are placed in the respective`compartments the handles maybe operated selectively kand independently for ejecting the desiredvariety. rlhe receptacle so constructed'is compactly combined in acomplete smokers kit' so arranged that the driver of a vehicle, forexample, need removev but one hand from lthe steering wheel to obtain acigarette and a match to li ghtthe same and this may be done in a simpleand rapid manner so as to distract the attention to the least extentfrom the operation ot the vehicle. The kit may be readily positioned asfound convenient, by means of the simple and effective attaching deviceadapted to be secured to either horizontally or vertically extendingpanels and is preferably given an ornamental finish enhanced by symmetryof proportions and arrangement of parts to afford an attachment ofpleasing appearance.

l/Ve claim as our invention:

i. A dispensing receptacle for elongated articles having therein a iXedpartition dividing the same into separate compartments each adapted tocontain an upwardly extending row of articles, a common dispensingopening in constant communication with said compartments for supplyingan article longitudinally from either compartment, and a plurality ofejecting means, one for each compartment, arranged to normally eiectoperation thereof successively and the ejection of the articles one at atime.

2. A cigarette receptacle having therein a fixed partition dividing thesame into separate compartments each adapted to contain an upwardlyextending row of cigarettes, a common dispensing opening for supplying acigarette longitudinally from either compartment, and a. plurality ofejecting means, one for each compartment, having manually operable meansarranged one in advance of the other for normally elfecting operationthereof individually to eject the cigarettes one at a time through saiddispensing opening. i

3. A cigarette receptacle comprising side walls and a bottom and apartition therein dividing the same into separate compart-v ejectingmeans, one for each of said compartments, and manually operable meansfor said ejecting means, arranged one in advance of the other to eifectoperation thereof individually to eject the cigarettes one at a timethrough said dispensing opening.

4. A cigarette dispensing receptacle comprising a plurality or' separatecompartments each arranged to contain a supply of cigarettes, thelongitudinal axes ot the cigarettes in one compartment beingsubstantially parallel to the axes of those in another compartment, saidreceptacle having a dispensing opening common to said compartments butout of direct alinement with the longitudinal axes or cigarettes aboutto be dispensed from said compartments, means for displacing a cigarettelongitudinally from a selected one of said compartments, and guidingmeans arranged to deflect a cigarette during its longitudinaldisplacement to cause it to `pass through said common dispensing openingirrespective of the compartment from which said cigarette was ejected.

5. A cigarette dispensing receptacle having a partition therein todivide the receptacle into two compartments each arranged to contain asupply of horizontally extending cigarettes, the longitudinal axes ofthe cigarettes in each compartment being substantially parallel to saidpartition, means for displacing a cigarette longitudinally from eitherone of said compartments selectively, and convergent guiding means fordeilecting a cigarette during its longitudianl displacement to cause itto pass through a common dispensing opening substantially in alinementwith said partition.

HENRY TOPPIN. ARTHUR G. STEVENSON.

